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An Experimental Approach to Investigating Effects of Artificial Light at Night on Free-Ranging Animals: Implementation, Results, and Directions for Future Research

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Artificial light at night reverses monthly foraging pattern under simulated moonlight.

Svenja Tidau^1,2, Jack Whittle², Stuart R Jenkins²

¹School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK.

Biology Letters

|July 27, 2022

Summary

Artificial light at night (ALAN) disrupts natural foraging behaviors. High-intensity ALAN reversed moonlit foraging patterns in predator-prey interactions, highlighting the importance of lunar cycles in ecological impacts.

Keywords:

artificial light at night foraging lunar biology lunar cycles moonlight sensory ecology

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Area of Science:

Ecology
Chronobiology
Environmental Science

Background:

Artificial light at night (ALAN) is known to disrupt biological processes.
The combined effects of ALAN and natural light, like moonlight, are understudied.
Simulating natural moonlight patterns in labs has been a significant challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate how varying intensities of ALAN affect predator-prey interactions under simulated natural moonlight cycles.
To understand the role of lunar light cycles in mediating the ecological impacts of ALAN.

Main Methods:

Developed a novel system to accurately simulate natural moonlight intensity, timing, and spectra.
Conducted laboratory experiments exposing predator-prey systems to different ALAN intensities across a full lunar cycle.
Monitored the foraging behavior of the gastropod predator *Nucella lapillus* on its barnacle prey *Semibalanus balanoides*.

Main Results:

High-intensity ALAN (10 and 50 lx) reversed the natural lunar-guided foraging pattern of *Nucella lapillus*.
Under natural light, foraging decreased with increasing moonlight intensity.
Under high-intensity ALAN, foraging increased with brighter moonlight.
Low-intensity ALAN (0.1 and 0.5 lx) did not significantly impact foraging behavior.

Conclusions:

ALAN significantly alters foraging patterns that are naturally guided by moonlight intensity.
The ecological consequences of ALAN are dependent on natural lunar light cycles.
Accurate simulations of night-time light are crucial for understanding ALAN's true impact on ecosystems and advancing night-time ecology.